Saturday, March 26, 2016

Youngs Peak Traverse

Lower Illecillewaet looking towards Terminal Peak


Illecillewaet


Three skiers checking out the entrance to Forever Young.


Ridge on Youngs Peak


Ken! Of Team Vancouver Asulkan fame.

Monday, March 21, 2016

Bow - Yoho Traverse Wapta Icefields

We talked about doing this trip for years. The completion of the Richard and Louise Guy Hut finally made us book it and go.



Day 1: The canyon leading to the Bow Hut.


Bow Hut.


Day 2: Mount Collie icefall in the distance.


Near the top of the Collie Icefall looking back towards the Bow


Looking down towards the ridge that leads to the Guy Hut


Gaining the ridge


Descending to the Guy Hut


Guy Hut


Guy Hut


Day 3: Des Poilus Glacier


Off the Des Poilus and heading to Isolated Col


Guy Hut from Isolated Col


Descending sketchy snow from Isolated Col towards the Stanley Mitchell


Stanley Mitchell Hut


Stanley Mitchell Hut


Day 4: Departing Stanley Mitchell


Slog-a-rrific


An amazing trip. This blog post, made months afterwards, doesn't do it justice. Poor visibility would have made this trip extremely challenging. In particular through the Collie Icefall and along the ridge leading to the Guy Hut. But we got lucky with the weather and everything went perfectly.

Here's the full photo set: https://goo.gl/photos/ya42zp4qkuwnASWU6

Saturday, March 05, 2016

Ursus Trees and 8812 Bowl

It was raining when we picked up the guys in Revelstoke. It rained on the drive up to the Pass and it was still raining as we skied away from the very quiet Visitor Centre. We were soaked to the core within 30 minutes. Honestly if any of us had wavered for just one second we would have bailed.

Thankfully none of use did and we were rewarded. Part way up Ursus Trees the rain turned to snow. Then a wind blew in that tugged at the all enveloping mist. Within just a few minutes there were patches of blue sky and our spirits rose. Our ski down through the trees is was surprisingly good.



The change in weather called for a change in plans. We quickly abandoned Ursus Trees and headed for Bruins Ridge to take Damon somewhere new.





The weather steadily improved as we climbed.





Then down in a completely untracked 8812 Bowl.





Not exactly cold smoke but considering how the day started it seemed pretty amazing to us.